Ornamental colored flame candle



1 W49. J. A. JOYCE 2,481,019

ORNAMENTAL COLORED FLAME czmnm:

Filed Feb. 21, 1948 FIG. I

swzlwwa KNQKKKQKWR viii/1112111 mmxww vmoillllllllllgi \w JWiiWIiI/AIIIK wmmxwmwm INVENTOR JAMES A. JOYCE ATTORNEYS Patented Sept.6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE ORNAMENTAL COLORED FLAME CANDLEJames A. Joyce, Gary, Ind.

Application February 21, 1948, Serial No. 9,972

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to ornamental candles and particularly to suchdevices arranged to produce a flame of predetermined color.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved ornamentalcandle; to provide such a device that will produce a flame of uniformpredetermined color; to provide such a device, having a replaceableburning element for producing a mono-chromatic flame; and to provide anornamental candle, arranged to produce a mono-chromatic flame ofpredetermined color, in which the burning element is a unit of thecartridge type that can be quickly and easily changed or replaced.

Other important objects of this invention are to provide an improvedburning element that will produce a, mono-chromatic flame; to provide animproved construction for a mono-chromatic flame candle unit; and toprovide an improved candle or candle cartridge that will burn with abrilliant flame of uniform predetermined color.

-A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanyindrawings in which:

Figure l is a view in elevation and partly in section showing theconstruction of the improved ornamental candle.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, in elevation, showing the candle unit orburning element and illustrating its construction, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an arrangement for mounting thecandle Wick in the consumable candle body or burning element.

In the form shown in the drawing the improved ornamental candlecomprises a main body 11, made of any suitable material, arranged tostand by itself on a plane surface, and having a recess or socket 2 inits top end, opening vertically upward, and adapted to receive a candlecartridge or burning element 3.

While the main body I is shown as of the usual form of an ornamentalcandle of large size, made wholly of candle wax or consumable material,it is to be understood that the body may be of any desired ornamental ornovelty shape and that the socket 2 may be located in any suitable partof the body as long as the said socket opens vertically upward. Thus theornamental body may be in the form of a Santa Claus figure, for example,with the socket located in a pack carried over the shoulder of thefigure.

Also, it will be understood that the ornamental body may be made of anysuitable material other than candle wax, such as plaster of Paris, wood,plastic, etc., since it is intended that only the burning element 3contained in the socket 2 be consumed. Thus the ornamental candle bodymay be of a substantially permanent construction adapted for repeateduse over a long period of time.

The burning element 3 is preferably of the cartridge type, that is it isa relatively small replaceable unit which can be set into the socket 2,and, as shown in Fig. 2, the burning element comprises a cup-like shell4, made of metal or other suitable solid material that will not meltunder the temperatures produced around the candle flame and in the bodyof consumable material which provides fuel forthe flame. A wick 5 ismounted in the cartridge shell or cup 4 and the fuel, or consumablematerial is formed around the wick 5 so as to fill the shell t, the wick5 projecting above the body of consumable material as shown in Fig. 2for lighting or igniting purposes.

Since the material to be used for producing a mono-chromatic flame isordinarily of a fairly low melting point, the upper portion at least ofthe fuel body tends to liquefy and when the burning element is abouthalf consumed, a substantial part of the body of fuel becomes liquefieddue to the heat of the flame. For this reason it is necessary to provideother support for the wick 5 within the body of the fuel itself, and,for this purpose, I provide a disc-like base member 6 in which the wickis mounted and which will rest flatly at the bottom of the shell t so asto hold the wick substantially upright and in central position withinthe shell t.

One form of such a wick base or support is shown in Fig. 3 and comprisesa metal disc centrally pierced to provide a toothed opening 1 throughwhich the wick 5 is threaded. As shown in Fig. 3, the margins of thepierced opening 1 of the base disc 6 are formed as upwardly projectingteeth 9 which serve to engage the sides of the wick and hold it firmlyin the base member 6. Thus, even though the body of fuel may becomeliquefied, the wick will remain centrally disposed within the shell 4and in a substantially upright 7 or any other suitable nitrogenousmaterial that will burn with a non-luminous or colorless flame; and inthis respect a light blue flame is generally considered to be colorlessor non-luminous.

The flame coloring materials, which are preferably metallic salts, aredissolved in the fuel substance and then a color intensifying andstabilizing material is added to the fuel substance and the mixture iscast or otherwise formed to provide the burning element body.

The metallic salts for coloring the flame are preferably metallicchlorides, which are soluble in the fuel or consumable body material,such as lithium chloride or strontium chloride'for a red flame, andcopper chloride for a green flame.

The flame c0101 intensifying material, which is preferably ammoniumchloride or mercurous chloride, is not soluble in the fuel or bodymaterial and tends to settle out when the fuel is in liquid form.However, it must be substantially uniformly distributed throughout thefuel body in order to be effective and the suspension of thisintensifying material in the fuel body presents a problem which has notbeen heretofore satisfactorily solved.

My reason for using the particular non-soluble materials for increasingthe intensity or brilliance of the flame color is that these materialsreadily supply the chloride necessary to increase the spectra of thecolor desired and will not decrease the melting point of the body orfuel substance appreciably and will result in a uniform color that issteady and non-fading.

In order to provide a substantially uniform dispersion of the colorintensifying materials in the fuel body, I formed the candle body in thecup or shell 4, after the wick 5 had been positioned, by pouring first arelatively thin, quickcooling layer of the fuel material and then, assoon as the layer begins to solidify, distributing the intensifyingmaterial in powder form over the surface of the fuel material justpoured. By spreading the intensifying material as the fuel material isturning from liquid tosolid form, the intensifying material is preventedfrom settling entirely to the bottom of the shell 4, but rather istrapped substantially in a position of suspension in the fuel material.After spreading the first layer of intensifying material, a second layerof the fuel material is poured and as that layer begins to solidify asecond layer of intensifying material is spread. This process isrepeated until the entire candle body has been completely built up tothe desired height around the wick 5, and it will be seen that theprocess consists substantially in folding-in the intensifying materialsinto the fuel or consumable material so that the intensifying materialis suspended uniformly throughout the body of the candle unit.

This dispersion or distribution of color intensifying material in thecandle body is illustrated in Fig. 2 by showing the fuel or consumablematerial as alternating layers 9 and by showing by weight of thecoloring salts added to the nitrogenous material of the consumablecandle body will produce very satisfactory results.

The quantity of mercurous chloride or ammonium chloride, for flame colorintensifying purposes, is also from one to two percent by weight of thefuel material; and where a mixture of ammonium chloride and mercurouschloride is used for flame intensifying purposes, the mixture maycomprise equal parts of these substances.

In order to produce a flame of pure uniform color it is necessary thatthe wick be free from any substance that might tend to contaminate thecolor of the flame. Therefore, the wick must be purged of any sodiumthat it might contain, since sodium in even extremely small amounts willproduce a brilliant yellow color that will effect the uniformity of thedesired flame. I prefer to use ordinary cotton wicks and I purge thesewicks of sodium by treating the wicks with a dilute solution ofhydrochloric acid that is just acetic enough to dissolve out any sodiumwhich might be present, and yet not weaken or burn the wick material. Awick so treated when used in my colored flame candle will produce a purecolor that is brilliant and sharp.

Also, in order to provide a wick that is quite satisfactory in so far asproducing the pure unlformly colored flame is concerned, the wick,purged of all sodium may be impregnated with a water solution of thecolor producing and flame color intensifying metallic salts used inmaking the fuel body. A suitable impregnating solution may be made byadding one percent of the coloring producing metallic salt to asaturated solution of water and mercurous chloride. The purged orcleaned wicks are then placed in this solution and the solution isboiled down toabout one-fourth of its original volume and the wicks arethen removed and dried, and are ready for use in constructing the candleunits.

The colored flame candle units or cartridges are preferably formed witha height that is only slightly larger than the diameter orcross-sectional distance, in order to keep the wick length relativelyshort, since the wick itself burns very little as the candle is consumedand it is desirable to avoid as much as possible any precipitation ofthe metallic solids on the wick which would tend to destroy itsabsorptiveness for the nitrogenous fuel. Thus, a cartridge or candleunit having a diameter of one and one-half inches would have a height orlength of substantially two inches, and for a cartridge three incheshigh the diameter would be from one and one-half to two inches.

The purpose of the cartridge shell is to provide a stable retainer forthe nitrogenous fuel which, due to its low melting point, tends to allowthe melted fuel material adjacent the flame to channel through the solidportion of the burning element body, the channels running from adjacentthe wick to the sides of the body in a downward direction. Thus, withoutthe shell the melted fuel would tend to channel through the side wall ofthe body and drain off as fast as it was produced by the heat of theflame.

The main advantages of this invention reside in the provision of anornamental candle having a translucent uniform flame of predeterminedcolor; and in the arrangement whereby the color of the flame can bechanged as desired, using the same ornamental body. Further advantagesare to be found in the construction whereby a colored flame ornamentalcandle may be had at relatively low cost, using relatively cheapmaterial for the ornamental body and confining the more expensivecolored flame producing materials to the burning unit itself.

Other advantages reside in the construction of the burning unitcartridge whereby danger of loss or spillage of the fuel material isobviated,

and wherein adequate support for the wick is had as long as the fuelremains. And still further advantages lie in the improved combination ofcolored flame producing material utilized in the burning unit; in theimproved utilization of materials for intensifying and stabilizing thecolored flame; in the construction of the burning unit whereby the flamecoloring materials and the flame color intensifying materials aresubstan- I tially uniformly distributed throughout the fuel body; andinthe improved candle wick whereby quick starting and a pure colored flameare obtained.

The term flame color intensifying," as employed herein, is intended tomean rendering the flame translucent through the addition of a foggingor clouding gas to the flame whereby the flame density is increased andthe predetermined flame color is caused to be more apparent. The term isnot intended to mean intensifying the flame temperature and brightnessby the intro flame coloring substance dissolved therein, and a suspendednon-soluble flame color intensifying material substantially uniformlydistributed throughout said body, said body being formed around saidwick.

2. A candle comprising a wick and a solid body of volatile nitrogenousmaterial containing a metallic salt dissolved therein and capable ofproducing a flame of predetermined color, and a suspended non-solubleflame color intensifying material substantially uniformly distributedthroughout said body, said body being formed around said wick inalternate transverse layers of nitrogenous material and flameintensifying material.

3. A candle comprising a solid body of volatile nitrogenous materialcontaining a metallic salt dissolved therein and capable of producing aflame of predetermined color, a flame color intensifying materialcomprising a chloride suspended in said body and distributedsubstantially uniformly throughout the same, and a wick extendingthrough said body, said wick being purged of sodium and impregnated withthe flame color intensifying material, and said body being formed ofalternate layers of nitrogenous material and flame intensifyingmaterial.

4. A candle comprising a wick and a solid body of volatile nitrogenousmaterial containing a flame coloring substance dissolved therein, and aname color intensifying material substantially uniformly distributedthroughout said body and capable of decomposing when heated to form achloride gas and render the flame translucent.

5. A candle comprising a wick and a solid body a of volatile nitrogenousmaterial containing a metallic salt dissolved therein and capable ofproducing a flame of predetermined color, and a suspended non-solubleflame color intensifying material substantially uniformly distributedthroughout said body, said body being formed around said wick inrelatively thin alternate transverse layers of nitrogenous material andflame color intensifying material and having width substantially equalto its height.

6. A candle comprising a cup-like shell having a closed bottom and acentral wick extending upwardly therefrom, said shell being filled witha solid nitrogenous material containing a flame coloring substancedissolved therein, and a nonsoluble flame color intensifying materialsubstantially uniformly distributed throughout said nitrogenousmaterial, said nitrogenous material and said flame color intensifyingmaterial being disposed in said shell in alternate transverselyextending layers.

JAMES A. JOYCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 455,501 Baumer July 7, 1891984,029 Scheuble Feb. 14, 1911 1,281,077 Schlepp Oct. 8, 1918 1,320,109Wooster Oct. 28, 1919 1,360,387 Fisher Nov. 30, 1920 1,583,798 RosenbergMay 11, 1926 1,608,518 Minrath NOV. 30, 1926 1,908,044 Nelson May 9,1933 2,310,019 Hamblet Feb. 2, 1943 2,354,343 Webber et a1. July 25,1944 2,436,995 Hamilton Mar. 2, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date15,057 Great Britain 1890 3,488 Australia n 1901

